THREE MEMBER FFT CONSTITUTED
The Chairman of the PCI, Justice (retd), Markandey Katju constituted a threemember
FFT headed by Rajeev Ranjan Nag and comprising Arun Kumar and Kalyan Barooah,
both member PCI on February 24, 2102 to look into the complaints and submit its findings.
The Fact Finding Team (FFT) was constituted by the Press Council of India (PCI) after
it received several complaints regarding pressure on media in Bihar by the State Government.
There were reports of unrest prevailing among media fraternity in the State, of journalists being
harassed and humiliated.
The Committee has during the course of its enquiry made four visits to different parts
of Bihar and met various stakeholders including the representatives of the media, civil society,
political parties, NGOs, general public. During its visit to the State, the team received
overwhelming response and received hubdreds of written submissions from journalists and their
union. Because of the nature of the complaints received by the PCI, the FFT made special efforts
to meet the representatives of small and medium category of newspapers, besides Editors of
major news publications. The FFT visited offices of several newspapers and scanned copies of the
publications in references to the complaints. The FFT also met the Officials of
the Bihar Government to get its views on the complaints received by the PCI.
During the course of its interactions, the FFT received hundreds of representations/complaints
with evidences in few cases. The PCI had put out advertisements in local dailies
including Bihar editions of major publications. In response to the advertisements,
the FFT received hundreds of submissions by mail.
During the course of enquiry the FFT visited Patna on April 1-2, 2012 Muzaffarpur on July 12,
Munger on July 13 and Gaya on September 17, 2012. The FFT had met and received
representatives of various organizations from neighbouring districts including Nawada,
Jahanabad, Bhagalpur, Munger, Beghusarai, Arah and Lakhisarai. We have received response
from all-over Bihar.
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